All feminists detained at protest rally released (UPDATED)

About 20 people were detained at the feminist protest action. By 18.00 they were all released, the organizing committee of the action reported.

Some of the activists tried to hold another action in the "Winter Park", chanting slogans "Do not tolerate cruelty." However, the police snatched the posters from them and pushed them out of the park. -0-

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2021 March 08 (Monday) 15:28:05

Police Detain Feminist Protesters

Baku/08.03.21/Turan: Police forces harshly suppressed the March 8 rally For Our Rights organized by a group of feminists.
The rally was held to protest against gender inequality and crimes against women in the everyday life. It was announced at 15.00 on the Fountain Square in front of the McDonald's cafe, from where the participants intended to march to the monument to the Liberated Woman opposite the Nizami metro station.
However, already from noon, the square was taken under the supervision of reinforced police squads and persons in civilian clothes.
Even half an hour before the action, members of the organizing committee of the action Vafa Nagi, Aytaj Aghazadeh, Sevighi Ismailbeyli, Zahra Galandarova and others were detained in a cafe near the Fountain Square.
At about 15.00, the police immediately began to detain girls who appeared on the Fountain Square with posters and chanting the slogan "Fight like a woman, destroy like a woman, create like a woman!"
About 15 people were detained, including one of the leaders of the feminist movement, Gulnara Mehdiyeva.
After the arrest, the police took the territory into a cordon.
The head of the media and public relations department of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Elshad Hajiyev told Turan that the police suppressed an illegal action.
According to him, the organizers were warned in advance that the action was not coordinated with the city authorities and therefore would be suppressed.
Hajiyev noted that the disobedient people were removed from the territory and there were no detainees.
Additional information will be provided to the public.
Meanwhile, journalist Amina Mammadova said that together with activist Rabiya Mammadova, they were detained when they were on their way to the action and taken to the 37th police station of the Khatai region.
Soon A. Mammadova was released, and R. Mammadova was still in the department and against her, according to the journalist, they used physical force. -06B-